Christmas Day

I really had a hard time going to sleep last night. I don't know whether it was excitement or what! LOL. By about 2:30 am I think I finally drifted off but it wasn't a restful sleep and it seemed that I was awake off and on for the next several hours. Bekah arrived just about 5:15 or so. The boys (Sam, Mo, and Adam) and Ruth had gotten up a few minutes before she arrived. They were so excited. It seems it wasn't that long ago that our children were in that same place. Rich came wandering out as the rest of the kids awoke. Wanda and Robert were the last to finally appear and I so wandered back in time to the place where it was Rich and I in the same place and I just wanted just a few more minutes of sleep. However, I can only imagine how bone tired they both are with a new baby too.
It wasn't too long and serious gift unwrapping began. I think Rich's hi-light was the t-shirt that Desi and Mike sent him...something about a daewoo. They had wanted to see Rich open it so I facetimed them so they could witness his reaction and I don't think they were disappointed.

Cherstin had helped me purchase an Echo from Amazon for Rich. Amazingly, Robert also got one but his worked. Who would have thought that the power cord was not included for Rich's? He ordered one today.
In the afternoon Hannah and Phil, with the boys, arrived. They were excited to share their day with their cousins. I think it's one of the Lord's tender that these two families live close enough to be in the same branch, to spend time together, for holidays, family celebrations, and just because they're friends. In quizzing them about their "other" cousins - they know of them, know some of them, may even remember a name or two or an experience - but these cousins really know each other.
Robert had purchased a ham, Hannah did cheesey potatoes and a pomegranite salad, and I made 7 layer salad and then we sat down for supper. After all the sugar - it was scrumptious!
We cleared dinner and then we, the adults, sat down an played a few games. Wanda and Robert had given me Banagrams and so we played it. They had also given Rich a game with Jelly Beans - but the kids found the jelly beans! LOL!!! Robert had a game - can't quite remember the name but it is kind of like (but not really) Apples to Apples. And then we ended with a couple of rounds of Skip-Bo. It is one of the things I love to do - play with family. I think I shared with all, at some time during the day, that one of my favorite things about the holidays is the period from Christmas to New Years when we often sit down and play games, put puzzles together, chat, and laugh. When I stop and consider the genesis of my experience with this period of time - I wonder if it isn't related to my first Christmas in Germany - when I had broken my ankle and my brothers and parents spent that time playing monopoly and Flinch (a game very similar to Skip-Bo but introduced in 1905) with me. I love the fact that family takes central stage and spending time together without the stress of life and the rituals and schedules that take the usual precedence are somewhat suspended. This also happened when we had our children as Rich was often off the entire week (or at least a good portion of the time) and we could just relax and enjoy one another. I so enjoyed our Sunday Dinner games when we lived in Denver for the very same reason. Just love it!!!